I’ve told you all before that when I first got married 15 years ago, I didn’t really know how to cook. Frozen cookie dough, Hamburger Helper, etc. was pretty much the extent of things I’d attempt in the kitchen. Man, was I so proud of myself when my husband would compliment me on my exquisite skills with box mixes! In fairness, I was working 60+ hours a week in a highly demanding job and really didn’t care to devote the time to cooking. I was perfectly happy with my slice and bake cookies and not so fancy convenience meals.

Then I had kids, and the continuous demand of my job went away as I decided to work from home part-time. Having kids opened up a desire in me to try a little harder to be domestic and to work on improving my skills in the kitchen. Slowly and surely, I tried different recipes and discovered that not only did I really like to cook, I was pretty good at it! And, as they say, the rest is history!…

When I was a kid, eating out was a special and very rare affair. We ate together as a family most nights, created the meal together and cleaned up after dinner together. My siblings and I were involved in sports and other activities, but family mealtime – at home – was always a priority for my parents. We adjusted our schedules to make sure that eating out rarely happened and that we were all together as a family each night for dinner.

Did you know in 1900, as a society, we ate 98% of our meals in our homes? Today, it’s less than 50%. Times have certainly changed! This is why we believe it’s time to reclaim the kitchen. I’ve partnered with Wolf to help families put down the remote, avoid the drive-thru, and get back into their kitchens to cook and enjoy meals together. Watch this short video to learn what reclaiming the kitchen is all about.

I hate February… And I hate how I always find myself in a giant funk this time of year. It’s ridiculous. After 41 years of February’s and recognizing how they make me feel for at least half of those, I should do something about it to prepare myself. But every, single year, February comes along…

Let’s talk about what’s been making us happy lately! Hi friends! I hope you all are well and are ready to have a great weekend! The girls and I are headed to Oklahoma City for the weekend to hang out with my sister and to celebrate her youngest daughter turning 18. I may have cried…

You’ll love this modified copy cat version of my favorite Asian Chop Chop Chicken Salad Recipe from Houlihan’s Restaurant. I have been sitting down in front of this screen off and on for 2 days and can’t seem to come up with anything to say. Not because this Asian Chicken Salad recipe isn’t good… it’s…

As Valentine’s Day approaches, I’m putting my heart to paper and sharing what I love about my husband…with a little extra help from the experts at Hallmark. A year before I met my husband, I sat down and wrote a list of all the things I wanted in a spouse. I had a series of relationships prior, including…

The idea for a traveling book club started brewing after I had posted on Facebook about a copy of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up I was done reading. I said I’d mail to anyone who wanted it. When several people responded, and promises of the first person mailing to the next to read and on and on,…

Creamy caramel custard is paired with chocolate meringue in this unforgettable pie recipe from the Karo® Syrup website. OK friends, I know you probably thought my new found love for pie making would wear off after all that pie making at the end of 2014. You probably assumed that I’d eventually tire of making the…

On My Bookshelf

Scrumptious Salads

Kristen is a busy mom of 4 young kids, loves to entertain, has a passion for photography, and believes in keeping things simple. An avid reader, a kind of runner, a horrible gardener, and the wife of an outstanding man, Kristen’s ultimate life goal is to connect and create meaningful relationships with others. Read More…